Door lock



June 2, 1959 R. A. CLARK 2,839,164

DOOR LOCK 7 Filed Dec. 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS.

R. A. CLARK June 2, 1959 DOOR LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 29, 1955 INV NT R: gazmw @2024 4941441490,

ATTORNE United States 2,889,164 e Patented June 2, 1959 DOOR LOCK Robert A. Clark, La Grange, 111.

Application December 29, 1955, Serial No. 556,335

7 Claims. (Cl. 292-429) This invention relates to a new and improved door latching and locking mechanism.

It is common knowledge that the latch bolts of ordinary door locks are operated by rotation of the inner or outer doorknobs and the spindles connected thereto. Despite the simplicity of this operation, however, conditions frequently arise which make rotation of the customary doorknobs inconvenient or diflicult. For instance, a person with both hands full of parcels or other objects generally finds it quite difficult to unlatch a conventional door. He must either solicit the help of another, or he must find some way to free one hand in order to grasp and rotate the knob. The solution often lies in balancing the articles in one hand or in first setting them down upon a table, chair, etc. In either case, the person is caused considerable inconvenience, difiiculty and delay.

Therefore, one of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a door latching mechanism which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages of present door latching and locking devices. Another object is to provide a door latching mechanism of relatively simple construction which is operated by merely pushing a doorknob or other actuator, such as a pushbutton or bar. Yet another object is to provide a door latch having inside and outside actuators, such as doorknobs, and adapted so that the door is unlatched either by pushing the outer actuator or by pushing or pulling the inner actuator. A further object is to provide a reciprocable door lock and latch which is principally constructed from stamped and die-cut parts, and which is therefore relatively inexpensive to manufacture. A still further object is to provide a pushpull door lock and latch which is adapted to be quickly and easily mounted in a door.

Still another object is to provide a door latching device for the doors of houses and other buildings which automatically swings a door to a partly open position when the unlatching mechanism is actuated. An additional object is to provide a doorknob lock and latch which operates to unlatch a door when the outer knob is pushed, or when the inner knob is either pushed or pulled, and which may be locked to prevent unlatching of the door when the outer knob is pushed. In this connection, it is also a specific object to provide movable means for locking the outer knob, the means being automatically shifted into an unlocking position whenever the inner knob is pushed or pulled.

Other objects will appear from the specification and drawings, in which Figure 1 is a broken perspective view showing the present doorknob lock mounted upon a door; Figure 2 is a broken elevational View taken along the front edge of a door and showing the latch bolt in released position; Figure 3 is similar to Figure 2, but shows the latch bolt in secured or locked position; Figure 4 is an exploded rear perspective view showing an adjustable door jamb pin; Figure 5 is a broken top sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a partly sectional side View with certain parts broken away to expose the latching mechanism, and taken along lines 6-6 of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a broken top sectional view taken along lines 7-7 of Figure 6; Figure 8 shows details of the bolt release mechanism in a top sectional view taken along lines 8-8 of Figure 6; Figures 9-11 are broken top sectional views similar to Figure 8, and showing different ways in which the bolt release spring may be flexed in bolt-releasing position; Figure 12 is a broken sectional side view taken along lines 1212 of Figure 5; Figure 13 is a perspective view of the latch mechanism is assembled condition; Figure 14 illustrates the bolt release spring in perspective; Figure 15 is an exploded perspective view of the mechanism represented in Figure 13; and Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view showing the latch bolt and the connecting means therefor.

Referring to the embodiment of my invention represented in the drawings, Figures 1 and 5 show a doorknob lock motmted in a door 10 having an outer surface 11, an inner surface 12 and a front edge 13. To accommodate the locking and latching mechanism, door 10 is provided with a transverse horizontal bore 14 extending between opposite sides of the door, and a horizontal bore 15 extending rearwardly from the front edge of the door and intersecting bore 14 at right angles.

Within transverse bore 14 is a generally U-shaped lock frame 16 which is illustrated most clearly in perspective views in Figures 13 and 15. It will be seen that frame 16 has a generally elongated front wall 17 equipped at opposite ends with a pair of parallel legs or .side walls 18 and 19 extending away from the front edge of the door. Centrally positioned and horizontally aligned apertures 20 and 21 are provided in legs 18 and 19, respectively. A lock frame mounting plate 22 is welded or otherwise secured to the outer surface of leg 19, and is provided with an opening in register with aperture 21. As represented most clearly in Figures 13 and 15, the plate has a plurality of openings 23 therein adapted to receive screws 24 for securing the plate upon the outer surface of door 10, and for rigidly supporting the U-shaped frame 16 within transverse bore 14. p

It will be noted that when plate 22 is properly mounted upon the outer surface of the door, openings 20 and 21 lie along the center axis of transverse bore 14. An outer knob spindle or shaft 25 is slidably carried by frame 16, and extends through opening 21. This elongated spindle has a generally rectangular cross section, and is preferably provided with a longitudinally extending cylindrical bore 26 at its inner end portion. A generally U-shaped outer spindle cam member 27 having horizontally extending upper and lower legs 28 and 29, respectively, is welded or otherwise secured to the rear side (with reference to door 10) of outer spindle 25 adjacent the inner end thereof, and is carried by that spindle between legs 18 and 19 of the lock frame. The end of lower leg .29 is angled rearwardly and then forwardly to provide a V-shaped cam portion 30 defining a V-shaped notch 31 along its front side. While spindle 25 and cam member 27 are shown as two separate pieces fixedly secured to each other, it will be understood that it may be desirable to form the cam member and spindle as an integral unit.

An elongated inner spindle or shaft 32 having a rectangular cross section similar to outer spindle 25, is also slidably carried by frame 16 and extendsthrough the rectangular opening 20 in leg 18. The inner end portion 33 of spindle 32 is cylindrical, and is adapted to be slidably received within bore 26 of outer spindle 25. A helical compression spring 34 within bore or socket 26 biases spindles 25 and 32 apart, and normally urges the outer edge 35 of cam member 27 into abutment with the leg 19 of the lock frame. i j

Like outer spindle 25, inner spindle 32 is provided with a cam member 36 which may be welded or otherwise secured to the rear face of spindle 32 adjacent the inner end thereof, but which may be formed integrally with that spindle if such construction is desired. Cam member 36 projects ,below spindle 32 and has an outer end portion angled rearwardly and then forwardly to provide a V-shaped cam portion 37 defining a V-shaped notch 38. Along the upperface of the inner spindle and adjacent cam member 36 is an L-shaped stop member 39 which may be welded upon the spindle or secured thereto by any other suitable means. One leg 44; of t.e stop member extends along spindle 32 and terminates in an outer edge 41 which cooperates with cam member 36 to limit the outward movement of the spindle by abutting the inner side of frame leg 18. A helical compression spring 42 extends between log 18 of the lock frame and transverse leg 43 of stop member 39, and urges edge of the stop member away from leg 18.

From Figures 7, l2 and 13 showing the latch mechanism in assembled condition, it will be seen that inner spindle cam member 36 lies along the same plane as outer spindle cam member 27, and extends between the upper and lower legs of member 27. Helical springs 34 and 42 cooperate to normally maintain the V-shaped cam portion of both members in vertical alignment, and the inner spindle and its cam in a neutral position between the legs of the lock frame. Since outer edge 35 of outer spindle cam member 27 normally abuts leg 19 of the lock frame, it is believed apparent that the cam portions of the respective cam members can be drawn out of vertical alignment only by inward movement of spindle 25 or by either outward or inward movement of spindle 32.

The inner and outer spindles may be provided with standard doorknobs 44 and 45, respectively, which may be secured to the spindles in a customary manner by set screws 46. Rose plates 47 are entirely conventional and serve as covers on each side of the door to conceal bore 14 and the latching mechanism mounted therein.

Beneath spindles 25 and 32, and independently connected to wall 17 of lock frame 16 by rivet 4% or by other appropriate connecting means, is a bolt release member or spring 49, as shown in detail in Figure 14. Release member 49 preferably comprises a strip of spring steel or other flexible material, and has a body portion 50 with a reversely turned arm 51. An opening 52 in the arm receives a rivet 48 for securing the spring upon the lock frame. At the other end of the body portion, member 49 angles rearwardly and then forwardly to design a V-shaped shoulder 53 corresponding with the vertically extending V-shaped notches of the spindle cam members. Arm 54 extends forwardly from shoulder 53 and slopes upwardly and outwardly toward the outer surface of door 10. The end portion of arm 54 is provided with a notch 55, and is adapted to pass through the upwardly and outwardly inclined slot 56 (Figure 15) in the front wall of lock frame 16. While the release member is represented in the drawings as a single spring strip, it will be understood that certain portions of that member (such as arm 54) may be reinforced or may be formed separately, and then welded or otherwise secured to the remainder of that member.

Figures 7 and 12 show the spring member 49 is carried by the lock frame so that the upper portion of V-shaped shoulder 53 is normally seated in the V-shaped notch provided by cam member 36, and the lower portion of that shoulder is normally seated in notch 31 of cam member 27 when the notches of the two cam members are vertically aligned. When the spring is in seated or bolt-securing position (Figure 8), arm 54 thereof projects only slightly from the fi'ont wall of frame 16; but when the spring is flexed into unseated or bolt-releasing position (Figures 911), the end portion of spring arm 54 is driven forwardly through the slot in wall 17 to expose spring notch 55 on the front side of the lock frame.

Above the longitudinal mid-section of frame wall 17 and intermediate legs 18 and 19, is an opening 57 (Figure 15). This opening rotatably receives one end of a bolt shaft 58 (Figure 16) which extends forwardly within bore 15. An elongated trigger arm 59 is mounted upon the reduced rear end portion 60 of the shaft and has a beveled lower edge 61. The front end portion 62 of the shaft projects through aperture 63 in face plate 64, and carries bolt 65 adjacent the front edge of the door. As shown best in Figures 1-3, plate 64 has a vertical flange 66 which is interrupted by opening 67. The plate may be secured to the front edge of the door by any appropriate means, such as by screws 68.

As represented in Figures 1-3 and 16, bolt 65 has a generally U-shaped configuration, with one leg thereof reduced in length and beveled to provide an angled lower edge 69. Like trigger 61, bolt 65 may be secured to shaft 58 by welding or by any other suitable means. A coil spring 70 winds about the shaft and hooks upon pins 71 and 72 of the-shaft and face plate. This spring urges the bolt structure or assembly, comprising the shaft, and the bolt and trigger carried thereby in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the front edge of door 10.

As shown in Figure 1, a striker pin 73 is mounted upon door jamb 74. Preferably, pin 73 is provided with a threaded shank 75 which projects through vertically elongated slot 76 of mounting plate 77. The pin is held upon plate 77 by nut 78 which is threaded upon its shank. It is believed apparent that the vertical position of pin '73 may be adjusted by sliding shank 75 into any desired position within slot 76. Plate 77 may be mounted upon the door jamb in any conventional manner, such as by screws 79.

It is desirable to provide the structure described above 7 with locking means which can be positioned to prevent reciprocating movement of outer spindle 25 and knob 45 carried thereby, and which will be automatically moved into an unlocking position when the inner knob and spindle are either pushed or pulled. This is accomplished by the elongated locking member or lever 79 which is illustrated most clearly in Figures 5, 13 and 15. It will be seen that the elongated lever has one end thereof pivotally connected by rivet 80 to a tab 81 extending horizontally from the top of frame leg 19. The portion of lever 79 lying along the top of frame 16 is equipped with a pair of downwardly extending fingers 82 and 83. It will be noted that finger 83 is provided with a relative ly broad upper portion 84 and a relatively narrow lower or end portion 85. Lever 79 is also provided with a. handle portion 86 which preferably slopes upwardly and projects through the horizontally elongated slot 87 in the inner rose plate 47 (Figure 1). If desired, the lever may be mounted with its lower surface urged into frictional engagement with the top edge of frame leg 18 so that the lever will not move from a set position when the door is slammed or jolted.

Operation When the lock and latch structure of the present invention is properly mounted within a door, coil spring 70 will tend to rotate shaft 58, trigger 59 and bolt 65 in a clockwise direction. Therefore, when door 10 is open, bolt 65 will be biased into the unlatching position shown in Figures 1 and 2, and trigger 59 will be urged into the released position illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 6. However, full rotation of the bolt, shaft and trigger is prevented by engagement between the beveled leg of bolt 65 and flange 66 of the face plate. It is to be noted that when door 10 is open, the slot defined by the legs of bolt 65 communicates with the opening 67 in the plate.

As the door is closed, striker pin 73 passes through opening 67 and between the legs of the bolt, thereby camming the bolt, shaft and trigger in a counter-clockwise direction (Figure 3). The inclined edge 61 of the trigger slides over the end portion 54 of bolt release spring 49 as portion 54 flexes within slot 56. Finally, when the door is completely closed, bolt 65 assumes the position shown in Figure 3, and trigger 59 is positioned as illustrated in Figures 6 and 8. Since the V-shaped shoulder portion 53 of the bolt release spring is normally seated in the aligned notches of cam members 27 and 36, the free end of trigger 59 will anchor against the end portion of the release spring which projects forwardly through the lock frame. Hence, coil spring 70 cannot effect clockwise rotation of the trigger, shaft and bolt, and the door will remain in closed position. Furthermore, abutment of spring 49 by trigger 59 prevents the door from being opened by any means other than by fiexure of the bolt release spring.

Figures 9 through 11 show the three ways in which the bolt release spring can be flexed or cammed into releasing or unlatching position. In all three instances, the corresponding V-shaped notches of cam members 27 and 36 are moved out of vertical alignment as one of the cam members is moved longitudinally with respect to the lock frame to force spring shoulder 53 out of the notch provided by that member. Spring 49 Will be flexed into bolt releasing position when the inner spindle cam 36 is pushed toward the outer surface of door 10 (Figure 9), when the same inner spindle cam is moved toward the inner side of the door (Figure 11), or when the outer spindle cam 27 is urged toward the doors inner surface (Figure 11).

In other words, the notched end portion of the bolt release spring will be urged forwardly through slot 56 in the lock frame to unlatch the door when either of the knobs are pushed, or when the inner knob 44 is pulled; the pulling of the inner knob to unlatch the door being the initial part of the same pulling action which is effective to swing the door into an open position.

As the slotted portion of the bolt release spring projects forwardly from the front surface of lock frame 16, the free end of trigger 59 may pass through slot 55 so that spring 70 will rotate the bolt 65 into unlatching position. As the bolt rotates, it disengages from striker pin 73 and urges the door ajar (Figure 1). It is therefore believed apparent that the present latch structure is extremely easy to operate under a variety of conditions. Since the door is moved to a partially open position upon actuation of the unlatching mechanism, neither of the doorknobs need to be grasped in order to open the door. A person whose hands are full of packages or other articles might unlatch the door in a number of ways. For example, he might set the latched door ajar by bumping either of the knobs with the back of his hand, or with his arm or hip. It is evident, therefore, that while the description and drawings set forth actuators in the form of conventional doorknobs, other types of actuators, such as bars or pushbuttons, might be used, in connection with the present invention.

Normally, the locking lever 79 will be maintained in an unlocking position with handle 86 pivoted to the right with reference to the illustration of Figure 1. In this position, neither of the downwardly extending fingers of the locking lever interfere with the reciprocal movement of spindle cam members 27 and 36. When the locking lever is pivoted from the unlocking position shown by dotted lines in Figure 7 into a locking position, the upper portion of finger 83 is moved into alignment with the upper leg 28 of the outer spindle cam member 27. At the same time, finger 82 and the lower portion 85 of finger 83 straddle the vertical cam portion 37 of the inner spindle cam 36. Therefore, cam member 27 cannot be pushed to actuate the bolt release member, since the upper leg of the cam member first engages the upper portion 84 of the finger 83 and prevents further movement of that member. Outer knob or actuator 45 cannot, therefore, be moved to unlatch the door. However, upon movement of inner knob 44 in either direction-that is, either inwardly or outwardly-the angled rear surfaces of cam portion 36 engage the fingers of the locking member, and cam the locking member into an essence 6 unlocking position. Consequently, the present structure may be unlocked by either shifting handle 86 to the right (as shown in Figure 1) or by pushing or pulling the inner knob or actuator 44.

It is believed evident from the drawings and the above description that most of the parts of the present lock may be stamped from sheet metal and need not be machined. Consequently, this look structure is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture. Furthermore, the mounting of the lock in a door is .a simple matter since the intersecting bores 14 and 15 are straight and substantially all of the latching or locking mechanism is contained within these bores.

While I have disclosed the illustrated embodiment of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many of these details may be varied without departing from the spirit and function of my invention.

I claim:

1. A door lock comprising a lock frame, a pair of shafts each slidably carried by said frame for independent reciprocation with reference thereto and each being equipped with a cam member, a striker member adapted to be rigidly mounted upon a door jamb, a latch bolt structure cooperable with said striker member and rotatable between a latching position wherein said latch bolt structure securely engages said striker member and an unlatching position wherein said latch bolt structure is released from said striker member and is: horizontally displaced therefrom, biasing means for biasing said latch bolt structure towards unlatching position, a member being mounted upon said frame and having a portion thereof movable between a first and a second position. said portion being engageable with said bolt structure for preventing movement of the same into unlatching position when said portion is in said first position, said movable portion also being engageable with both of said cam members for movement into said second position upon reciprocation of either of said shafts, whereby, when either of said shafts is reciprocated said movable portion is cammed into said second position to release said bolt structure for movement into unlatching position.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which a shaft locking lever is pivotally mounted upon said frame for pivotal movement in a direction transverse to the direction of sliding movement of said shaft and is provide-d with a pair of spaced parallel fingers extending towards said cam members, said lever being movable between a shaft locking and a shaft unlocking position, the fingers of said lever abutting the cam member of one of said shafts to prevent sliding movement thereof when said lever is in said locking position, the cam member of the other of said shafts being engageable with said fingers to pivot said lever from locking position to unlocking position upon reciprocation of said other shaft.

3. A door lock comprising a lock frame, a pair of shafts each slidably carried by said frame for independent reciprocation with reference thereto and each being equipped with a cam member, a pair of actuators each being mounted upon one of said shafts, a rotatable latch bolt assembly provided with a latch bolt secured thereto and rotatable in a vertical plane between a latching position wherein the same is adapted to securely engage a striker member and an unlatching position wherein said bolt is released from said striker member and is horizontally displaced therefrom, biasing means for rotating said latch bolt assembly and latch bolt into unlatching position, a bolt release member movable between a first and a second position, said release member being engageable with said latch bolt assembly for preventing rotation of the latch bolt towards unlatching position when said member is in said first position, said release member also being engageable with both of said cam members for movement into said second position upon reciprocation of either of said shafts.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which a locking me1nber is movably mounted upon said frame for pivotal movement about an axis normal to the axes of said shafts, said locking member being equipped with spaced parallel fingers and being movable between a shaft locking position and a shaft unlocking position, said fingers of said locking member abutting the cam member of one one of said shafts to prevent sliding movement of said one shaft when said locking member is in locking position, the cam member of the other of said shafts being slidably engageable with the spaced fingers of said locking member to move said member from locking position to unlocking position upon sliding movement of the other shaft.

5. A door lock comprising a lock frame, a pair of independently reciprocable spindles slidably carried by said frame and equipped with cam members having normally aligned i -shaped notches together defining a groove extending transverse to the line of movement of said spindles, a latch bolt assembly rotatable between latching and unlatching positions and including a latch bolt rotatable in a vertical plane and provided with an open radial slot for removably receiving a striker memher, the slot of said rotatable bolt being generally vertically disposed when said assembly is in latching position and being angled with reference to the vertical when said assembly. is in unlatching position, biasing means for urging said latch bolt assembly into unlatching position, a flexible member mounted upon said frame and having a portion thereof movable between a first and second position and being urged by said flexible, member towards saidrfirst position, said movable portion engaging said bolt assembly for preventing movement of said assembly into unlatching position when said portion is in said first position, said portion having a V- shaped shoulder adapted to seat within the groove formed by both of said aligned V-shaped notches when said portion is in said first position, said cam members being movable to unseat said shoulder from said notches and cam said portion into said second position upon reciprocation of either of said spindles.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which said frame is generally U-shaped and is equipped with a pair of legs having aligned openings therein slidably receiving said spindles, said cam members being disposed between the legs of said frame, the cam member of one of said spindles normally abutting one of said legs to limit outward sliding movement of said one spindle through the opening thereof and to prevent disalignment of said notches by outward sliding movement of the same.

7. A door lock comprising a lock frame, a pair of horizontally aligned and axially movable spindles independently and slidably carried by said frame and being provided with offset V-shaped cam members each defining a vertically-extending. notch, means for biasing each of said spindles into, a neutral position wherein the notches of said offset V-shaped cam members are vertically aligned, a cam follower movable in a horizontal direction transverse to the axes of said spindles and being movable between a seated position within both of said notches when the same are vertically aligned and an unscated position when said notches are out of alignment, biasing means provided by said follower for urging the same towards seated position, a horizontal shaft rotatably carried by said frame and having its axis substantially normal to the axes of said aligned spindles, said shaft being equipped at one end with a radially extending trigger adapted to engage said cam follower when the same is in seated position and to swing free of said follower upon rotation of said shaft when the follower is in unseated position, a vertical latch bolt secured to the opposite end of said shaft and being equipped with a recess extending inwardly from the periphery thereof for removably receiving a stationary striker member carried by a door jamb, and spring means for rotating said shaft, trigger and bolt when said trigger is released by said follower, whereby, when the notches of said cam members are vertically aligned said trigger engages said follower to prevent rotation of said shaft and bolt and to maintain said bolt in a locking position, and when either of said spindles is axially moved to shift the notches of said cam members out of alignment said last-mentioned spring means rotates said shaft and bolt for releasing said striker member and for urging said lock and door therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,287,973 Gruber Dec. 17, 1918 2,058,163 Malone Oct. 20, 1936 2,092,225 Schreiber Sept. 7, 1937 2,094,413 Schonitzer Sept. 28, 1937 2,124,099 Zagrzejewski July 19, 1938 2,221,110 Ross Nov. 12, 1940 2,467,622 Kulcheski Apr. 19, 1949 2,665,932 Moler Ian. 12, 1954 2,668,071 Adams et a1. Feb. 2, 1954 2,676,047 Gould Apr. 20, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 97,207 Sweden Oct. 24, 1939 

